Work to clean up the historic Upper Cleddau Flats landfill, locally known as "Little Tahiti", will start in April, marking a significant step in protecting the Milford Sound/Piopiotahi area from environmental contamination.
Located 2.5km south of Milford Sound, Little Tahiti extends inland from the Tutoko and Cleddau Rivers. The site, which served as a landfill from the mid-1960s to the 1980s, was originally used for gravel extraction during the construction of the Milford road. However, decades of landfill activity left behind hazardous materials, including asbestos, heavy metals, petroleum products and general waste.
Department of Conservation (Doc) operations manager for Te Anau John Lucas said the cleanup was a way of addressing a legacy from an infrastructure project that took place long before Doc was established. He said the site had been under investigation after contaminants posing risks to both human health and the environment were discovered.
"The collaboration between Doc, Environment Southland and the Ministry for the Environment has been critical in addressing these concerns," Mr Lucas said.
"This cleanup will prevent further contamination and protect the surrounding natural environment."
The 8200sq m landfill is located just 100m off State Highway 94, making it vulnerable to erosion and exposure, particularly as high-intensity rainfall events have become more frequent in the region. Mr Lucas highlighted the importance of the cleanup in light of previous environmental incidents, such as the 2019 breach of a landfill in South Westland, which sent waste into the Fox River and triggered a massive cleanup operation.
"What happened at Fox River underscores the urgent need to address Little Tahiti before a similar event occurs," Mr Lucas said.
The Ministry for the Environment has allocated $2,024,700 from its Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund to support the project, Doc contributing an additional 50%. This funding aims to safeguard one of New Zealand’s most iconic natural locations.
Ministry waste investments manager Lara Cowan is supporting the project.
"The ministry is pleased to assist in addressing the environmental risks at Little Tahiti. We are committed to continuing such remediation efforts through the new Contaminated Sites and Vulnerable Landfills Fund."
Doc warns there will be some traffic disruptions along State Highway 94 while remediation work is under way. The project is expected to last for two and a half months.
Mr Lucas said public safety will be a priority during the cleanup. — APL
